248 
MAMMALIA. 
destroyer is, for instance, a Lion, it has thus opportunity to make 
choice of its victim, when it darts upon the poor creature, and the 
terrified herd becomes scattered in flight. 
The Gazelle is ridden down by horsemen, or taken with the 
assistance of Dogs (Fig. 82). Tame Gazelles, with nooses fastened 
on their horns, are also let loose into the middle of a wild herd, 
when many get entangled in these knots, and are captured. 
If taken young, and reared in captivity, the Gazelle becomes 
domesticated and shows pleasure at being caressed ; seldom 
attempting to take flight in order to regain its liberty, although 
it doubtlessly repines when thus situated, for it languishes, and 
refuses to give its master a posterity of slaves. 
There are other species of Gazelle which live in Morocco, 
Senegal, Hubia, and the Cape of Good Hope ; but any special 
mention of them would be uninteresting. 
Saiga . — This genus is composed of several species of Ante- 
lope, the males of which possess spiral and annulated horns, with 
two or three curvatures, and without sharp edges. They have no 
muzzle, but possess tear-pits ; the hair on their instep is arranged 
in a brush-like form ; they have inguinal pores, two teats, and a 
short tuftless tail. 
Such, for instance, is the Saiga of Tartary ( Saiga tartarica) 
(Fig. 83), which has a stouter form than the Gazelle, and a coat of 
a light slate colour above and white underneath ; its horns are 
long, bending backwards, and very much annulated. Its carti- 
laginous muzzle is very long. 
These animals are very swift in their movements. It is said that 
they can leap to a height of thirteen feet, and clear with one 
bound a space of forty feet. They inhabit open plains, where any- 
thing approaching can be seen from afar, and associate in droves 
composed of from ten to sixty females and one mature male. 
When grazing or ruminating, members of the herd are placed as 
sentinels at about six to seven hundred feet distance, to watch 
over the common safety. At the slightest alarm, the whole take 
flight, with the old male at their head. Their principal habitat is 
the region of the Altai Mountains, but they are found as far as the 
frontiers of Europe. 
The members of this species collect together in flocks of several 
thousands for the purpose of migration, when the males form a 
guard, and defend the young ones from the attacks of Wolves 
